A number of kapa haka preparing for next year’s Te Matatini are mobilising to draft submissions on the government’s proposed Treaty Principles Bill, and they’re increasing awareness by posting a challenge on social media for other kapa to jump on board.
North Auckland-based Te Uri o Manumanu, who qualified in Te Taitokerau regional haka competition, held their haka wānanga over the weekend and took time out of learning waiata and choreography to hold a workshop on Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Kapa leader and tutor Joe Pihema said the idea came from some of their members and so they decided to run with it. They drew on in-group expertise, roping in kaihaka Precious Clark who has a background in legal policy.
“Māmā noa iho te whakarongo ki ēnei kōrero. Ki ētahi he kōrero hou, ki ētahi he ruku hōhonu kē atu ki ngā take, heoi anō, he māmā. Mehemea e mohio ana tēnei te mātanga ki ana kōrero, he māmā te whakarongo atu.
(It was easy to listen to what was being said. For some people it was new information, for others, it was an in-depth look into the issues, but it was easy. If the expert knows what they’re talking about then it’s easy to listen)
“Me kī, he mātanga a Precious ki te kawe i tēnei kaupapa, ki te pīkau i tēnei kaupapa, nō reira māmā noa iho te noho ki te whakarongo ki a ia
(Precious is an expert in delivering this content, in driving this kaupapa, so it was easy just to sit and listen to her),” said Pihema.
Clark said it was imperative for people to understand what’s going on.
“If we want our whānau to participate in this process they’ve gotta understand what it’s about, so it wasn’t much to take them through the history of Te Tiriti and the Treaty, the differences, what the principles of the Treaty are, and what this bill proposes to do.
“Because by doing that we become activated and conscious as citizens and choose to participate in this process.”
She said the group decided to go ahead with making submissions and they sent them in that day.
Te Uri o Manumanu isn’t the only kapa to activate and participate in the process.
A social media challenge has been going between kapa encouraging each other to make submissions on the bill. Groups such as Whangarei-based group Hātea and South Auckland-based Angitu posted online videos of their members on phones, tablets, laptops and paper drafting submissions.
Others such as Te Poho o Hinekahukura from West Auckland, Rotorua’s Ngāti Rangiwewehi and Palmerston North-based Te Tini o Rehua and Te Tū Mataora posted haka challenge videos.
Across the ditch, Brisbane-based kapa Te Hau Tawhiti posted online to say they made 55 submissions and went the extra step of ensuring kaihaka were all registered on the Māori roll.
Clark said it’s up to experts, leaders, and kaihaka to inspire “our hapori, our whānau, our ope” to participate.
“Even if you’re just submitting a template, you’re getting your voice heard, and you’ll make up a part of the numbers that helps these decision makers know that our nation does not support this.
“For those of us who have more experience with Te Tiriti o Waitangi, we should be applying quality, we should be giving depth and unique perspectives to inform the select committee, who are mostly not Māori, around our position on Te Tiriti, and that this cannot progress, and it should never have got to this point in the first place.”
ACT’s David Seymour has encouraged all New Zealanders to have their say.
“For the first time, Kiwis of all backgrounds are now able to tell Parliament what they think the Treaty means for future generations of New Zealanders,” he said.
Submissions close on January 7.
Glossary
kapa – group
haka – traditional Māori dance
kapa haka – haka group(s); Māori performing arts
haka wānanga – haka practice, often overnight if held on a weekend
waiata – song(s)
kaihaka – haka performer
kaupapa – cause, project, campaign, issue, subject
hapori – community
whānau – family
ope – troop, group of people moving together
